History of the Rugby World Cup: 2011 – a time to exhale and celebrate No 2 | Stuff.co.nz History of the Rugby World Cup: 2011 – a time to exhale and celebrate No 2 RICHARD KNOWLER Last updated 05:00, September 13 2015 JASON OXENHAM/FAIRFAX NZ In 2011 Richie McCaw finally got his hands on the Webb Ellis Cup. It was his third global tournament, having played in the 2003 and 2007 World Cups. How New Zealand fared: Twenty-four years of finger jabbing, recriminations and anger finally receded when Richard Hugh McCaw did what Gary Whetton, Sean Fitzpatrick, Taine Randell, Reuben Thorne – and McCaw himself in 2007 – were unable to do: he lifted the Webb Ellis Cup and joined 1987 skipper David Kirk in becoming just the second New Zealander to do so. The rugby year began in difficult circumstances for McCaw and his Crusaders team-mates.

The Christchurch earthquake claimed the lives of 185 people, including Crusaders board member Philip McDonald, and Lancaster Park was so badly damaged that no World Cup matches could be staged in the city. Captain McCaw also had his own private battle to wage. The flanker, having broken the metatarsal bone in his foot, was limited to seven appearances for the Crusaders. The same injury flared up during the World Cup pool game against France but he endured the pain, told as few people as possible about his complaint and kept his head down. Losses to the Springboks in Port Elizabeth and the Wallabies in Brisbane meant the New Zealanders relinquished the Tri Nations title, but they swept through the World Cup pool matches against Tonga, Japan, France and Canada unbeaten. Victories over Argentina and Australia in the playoffs earned them a berth against France in the final at Auckland's Eden Park. What happened in the final: The score read 8-7 to the All Blacks, with loosehead prop Tony Woodcock and flanker Thierry Dusautoir scoring tries for each country, but this was no snooze-fest.

Unbeknown to the 61,000 fans inside Eden Park, and the millions who watched their idiot boxes at home, the All Blacks' preparations struck an early glitch when goalkicker Piri Weepu tweaked his groin in the warm-ups. He missed two penalties and the conversion of Woodcock's try in the first half. Although France had been swamped 37-17 by the All Blacks in their pool match and lost playmaker Morgan Parra with concussion in the opening spell of the final, they made fools of their doubters. Ad Feedback If All Blacks coach Graham Henry was uptight about Weepu missing his kicks, he must have been close to expiring when first five-eighth Aaron Cruden suffered a knee injury and had to be replaced by Stephen Donald in the 33rd minute. Henry had already lost No 10s Dan Carter and Colin Slade earlier in the tournament, and had to sweat steel beads as Weepu sprayed his kicks. Then Cruden went down. If Donald, who was originally omitted from the squad and whiled away his time as a standby player by whitebaiting in his local river, was anxious, he didn't show it.

He kicked a vital penalty in the 44th minute. That proved the difference and he deserved to enter World Cup folklore. Scorers: New Zealand 8 (Tony Woodcock try; Stephen Donald pen) France 7 (Thierry Dusautoir try; Francois Trinh-Duc con) How the New Zealand public reacted: With joy. You could say things went well around Aotearoa that night, and in the following days. Graham Henry retired a winner and later received a knighthood. Richie McCaw declined his. The disappointments of 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007 could be forgotten as the All Blacks toured the country to acknowledge their fans and show of the Webb Ellis Cup. Highlight of the tournament: The way New Zealand promoted and supported the event was something to be proud of. While the earthquake prevented Christchurch from joining the party, the rest of the country got stuck in and made it a tournament to remember. So did the supporters of the other countries – especially the Tongan fans.

New Zealanders proved they were not only capable of hosting the global tournament but of doing a damned good job of it. New Zealand's stadiums aren't the flashest, but the people's passion for the game and the organisation of the tournament were to be admired. These are compelling reasons for New Zealand to host the World Cup again. Controversy of the tournament: New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence copped an unseemly tirade of abuse from South African fans when he allowed Australian flanker David Pocock a free pass to repeatedly dispute ruck ball in the quarterfinal in the Wallabies' 11-9 win in Wellington. The Springboks were also angered when none of the officials sanctioned the Aussies for the cheap shot that took their fetcher Heinrich Brussow out of the game with damaged ribs. Player of the tournament: Thierry Dusautoir was later named the IRB (now World Rugby) player of the year and it's hard to argue given the ructions Les Bleus had to overcome – there was major friction between the players and coach Marc Lièvremont, Dusautoir did well to keep his team together.

- Stuff Where the World Cup will be played | Oval Talk - Yahoo Sport Where the World Cup will be played By Eurosport 7 September 2011 22:32   12 different stadia will be used to host rugby matches at the 2011 Rugby World Cup: View gallery . AUCKLAND: Eden Park (Capacity: 60,000 - Matches: 11) One of the most famous sporting stadia in the world, Eden Park will make history on October 23 when it becomes the first venue to host two Rugby World Cup finals. It also staged the final of the inaugural tournament in 1987 and the first game of the competition on May 22 of that year. The All Blacks won both matches and will be hoping that history repeats itself on a ground where they have not lost since 1994 and where they have won around 80 per cent of their games. Indeed, Eden Park has a long and proud history since opening in 1900.

In addition to RWC 1987, the 1950 Empire Games were held there, along with the 1988 Rugby League World Cup final and the 1992 Cricket World Cup. It has already been selected as a venue for the 2015 Cricket World Cup. But it is not just an international staging post for the All Blacks and the country's rugby league and cricket sides. It has also housed Auckland's cricket team since 1910 and the rugby union side since 1925, with Super 14's Blues franchise and ITM Cup outfit Auckland now both tenants. Following a huge redevelopment that was finished last year and included two new three-tier stands, Eden Park is New Zealand's largest stadium at 50,000, but it will carry 10,000 more spectators at RWC 2011 thanks to temporary seats. When Christchurch was wrecked by an earthquake in February, Eden Park therefore became the natural choice to take over its two quarter-finals on October 8 and 9.

Located in the heart of New Zealand's largest city — it has a population of over 438,000 — it is well set up to cope with big crowds. They are likely to experience mild, damp weather during the tournament, with temperatures expected to vary from 9C to 18C. View gallery . AUCKLAND: North Harbour Stadium (Capacity: 30,000 - Matches: 4) This purpose-built, multi-events stadium was opened in 1997 and is set in 23 hectares of grounds in Albany, which lies around 19 kilometres from the centre of Auckland. It is the focal point of the North Shore Domain, which also includes a large oval field and four other sports pitches. Rugby union, rugby league and football are played in the main stadium, while cricket takes place on the oval pitch. The principle arena, which has four floodlight pylons, hosts the home matches of ITM Cup side North Harbour, while Super 14 franchise Auckland Blues occasionally play there as well.

It has also staged games for rugby league side New Zealand Warriors and was a venue for football's Under-17 Women's World Cup in 2008, as well as for the now-defunct New Zealand Knights football team. Normally the capacity is 25,000, but it has been increased for the 2011 Rugby World Cup with the addition of temporary seating for 5,000 fans. North Harbour was initially granted three pool matches, but it received an additional fixture — Australia v Italy — when Christchurch withdrew from the tournament after the earthquake in February. Albany was a town until recently and with much of the land to its north largely being countryside, it does not really seem like a suburb of Auckland. However, substantial development - including housing and the largest shopping centre in New Zealand — means Albany is now very much part of the country's biggest city. View gallery . DUNEDIN: Otago Stadium (Capacity: 30,000 - Matches: 4) Only recently completed and built specially for Rugby World Cup 2011, this is New Zealand's largest indoor arena with its capacity of 30,000.

It is also the country's first fully-covered stadium including natural grass, but because of doubts over whether the turf will have grown enough in time, it has been strengthened with synthetic grass. Two machines have been working 20 hours a day for two weeks pumping a massive total of 48,000 kilometres of artificial fibres into the ground. They have drilled down 20 centimetres and wrapped the synthetic turf round the natural grass to ensure it is strong enough to endure the pounding it is bound to get during the four pool games. It will be irrigated by recycled rainwater. Although the stadium is fully covered, the pitch will see sunlight, as the roof is transparent. In fact, the temperature will be 2-3C warmer than it is outside during the tournament. The roof has a clearance of 37 metres above the halfway line — so there is no danger of a Garryowen getting stuck in the rafters! While rugby is envisaged as being the stadium's main sport, it has been built as a multi-purpose venue. Two of the stands have variable seating plans so that temporary seats can be brought in according to each event.

The stadium is located around two kilometres from the centre of Dunedin, which is on the south-east coast of South Island and has a population of 123,000. It was given an additional pool match after Christchurch's stadium was affected by the earthquake in February. View gallery . HAMILTON: Waikato Stadium (Capacity: 30,000 - Matches: 3) There has been a rugby ground on the site since 1925, but it only gained the title of Waikato Stadium in 2002 after a complete overhaul. Having not hosted an international match for nine years, the old Rugby Park stadium had deteriorated to such an extent by 1996 that it was decided a replacement was needed. Rugby Park had led a colourful life, though, with the grandstand roof collapsing in 1934 (fortunately with no injuries), Waikato's match with South Africa being called off in 1981 after a pitch invasion by protesters and the Argentina-Fiji match at the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup being held there.

The stadium was also the scene for one of the most memorable matches in Waikato's history in 1956, when they became the first New Zealand province to beat a touring Springboks team. A crowd of 31,000 witnessed the 14-10 upset and the capacity will be only 1,000 less for RWC 2011 thanks to 5,000 additional provisional seats. The tournament will continue the Waikato Stadium's record of holding an international match every year since its opening for the Super 12 match between Chiefs and Crusaders. While rugby union is the venue's main sport as the home of Chiefs and ITM Cup side Waikato, it has also staged football — including the 2008 Under-17 Women's World Cup — and rugby league matches The stadium is a 15-minute walk from the middle of Hamilton, a city on the banks of the Waikato River in the centre of North Island. It has a population of over 138,000, but that is increasing rapidly, with half under the age of 30 — no doubt attracted by its mild climate.

Temperatures should range from 7C to 18C during RWC 2011. View gallery . INVERCARGILL: Rugby Park Stadium (Capacity: 17,000 - Matches: 3) Rugby Park is appropriately named, having been the centre for the sport in the Southland region since the early 1900s. However, the current stadium dates back only 10 years, with the old ground being demolished to make way for a brand new 5,000-seater stand and offices in 2001. Rugby Park once housed more than 30,000 fans, but following the opening of the new stand, the capacity has been drastically reduced and only 17,000 will be allowed for the three Pool B 2011 Rugby World Cup games. Invercargill was originally due to host just two matches, but it was granted an extra fixture — Scotland v Georgia — following the earthquake that devastated Christchurch earlier this year. As well as being the home of ITM Cup side Southland, the stadium has staged Super Rugby fixtures for Hurricanes.

Football club Spirit FC have also played there, but when Southland rugby league asked for their club final to take place at the venue in June, their rugby union counterparts turned the request down because of RWC 2011. The stadium is a 20-minute walk from central Invercargill, which is the most southerly city in New Zealand and one of the most southerly in the world. As a result, Invercargill can experience four seasons in a day and frosts are common in winter. In September the average low is just below 4C. With only 93,000 people living in the Southland region, around 50,000 of whom are from Invercargill, it is one of the least populated areas of New Zealand. The Scotland team and their followers should find it a home from home, as many of Invercargill's main streets are named after Scottish rivers. View gallery .

NAPIER: McLean Park (Capacity: 15,000 - Matches: 3) McLean Park is equally famous as a stadium for cricket as it is for rugby, with all major events in the Hawkes Bay region in those sports taking place there. For rugby, it was a venue for the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987, for the Canada-Tonga group game, and coincidentally Canada return this year for two of their Pool A matches. In addition, it stages all Hawkes Bay's games in the ITM Cup and has played host to Hurricanes in Super 14. For cricket, McLean Park is better known as a venue for one-day internationals than Test matches and it has been the home of Central Districts since 1952. It was opened in 1911 as Sir Donald McLean Park after a local MP and landowner, and there have been major improvements to the stadium in the past four years. A new stand — including corporate entertainment facilities — was opened in 2009 and the six floodlight towers were upgraded.

The ground can hold around 20,000 spectators, with the embankment itself able to take 10,000, but the capacity has been slashed to 15,000 for RWC 2011. The complex, which also boasts an indoor stadium named the Rodney Green Centennial Event Centre, is a 10-minute walk from Napier city centre. Napier, which has a population of around 57,000, is situated on the east of North Island on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and so is susceptible to the remnants of tropical cyclones that are still of storm strength. It has a mild winter climate, with an average low of 7C and high of 19C in the RWC 2011 months. View gallery . NELSON: Trafalgar Park (Capacity: 18,000 - Matches: 3) Trafalgar Park was initially known as a cricket ground, being employed as such in the 1880s, but it is very much a rugby venue now and has been recognised as that since the stadium was built in the 1950s.

There was very little further development on the site, though, until the 1980s, when another sports field was added, and then in 1996 the pavilion was constructed. A year later floodlighting was installed and in 2008 two new grandstands were built in preparation for the Rugby World Cup. Initially only two RWC 2011 matches were due to be played in Nelson, but following the earthquake in Christchurch in February, Trafalgar Park was awarded a third — Australia v Russia. Some of Crusaders' Super 14 matches have also been switched to the stadium because of the earthquake. Otherwise, Trafalgar Park is regarded as the home of ITM Cup side Tasman. The Central Districts cricket team use it occasionally as well and football has been played there. Since the site is only a five-minute walk from Nelson city centre, it has also been used as a concert venue. Nelson is the oldest settled city on South Island, having been founded in 1841, and is the geographical centre of New Zealand.

Set on the eastern shores of the Tasman Bay, it is the economic and cultural capital of the Nelson Tasman region, and is one of the least populated in the country at around 90,000. Boasting more than 2,400 hours of sun a year and only 940mm of rain, it is the sunniest city in New Zealand, although temperatures do drop to 5C in September. View gallery . NEW PLYMOUTH: Stadium Taranaki (Capacity: 26,000 - Matches: 3) Previously known as the Yarrow Stadium after local businessman, philanthropist and avid rugby fan Noel Yarrow, whose legacy it is, the venue has a new title for Rugby World Cup 2011. The sports, entertainment and conference facility — which includes four pitches — is now named after the provincial team who play there in the ITM Cup. Its first incarnation as a rugby ground was in 1931, although it was not until 16 years later that a grandstand was built.

The stadium underwent an extensive revamp in 2002 with the construction of two new grandstands and the capacity was boosted to 26,000 with further redevelopment last year. As well as being Taranaki's home, the complex has staged matches for the All Blacks, New Zealand Maori and Super 14 franchise Hurricanes. It was also a venue in the 2006 Pacific Nations Cup and has played host to rugby league matches for NZ Maori and the NZ Warriors. Stadium Taranaki is situated a half-hour walk from the middle of New Plymouth, a city on the west coast of the North Island and about halfway between Auckland and Wellington. It is said to be one of the few cities in the world where you can surf and ski the same day, the skiing being available at Mount Taranaki, which is 30 minutes' drive away from the centre of New Plymouth. It is the main city of the Taranaki region and has a population of over 52,000. During the World Cup the temperature is likely to vary from around 8C to 16C, as the region has a mild and moist climate.

View gallery PALMERSTON NORTH: Arena Manawatu (Capacity: 15,000 - Matches: 2) The Arena has earned a reputation as New Zealand's busiest and most versatile recreational complex. As well as taking around 8,000 bookings annually, the 18-hectare site stages 36 different sports, exhibitions, conferences, festivals and concerts. However, rugby, not surprisingly, is the main sport. The venue is the home of ITM Cup side Manawatu Turbos, but with the FMG Stadium limited to just 15,000 spectators for Rugby World Cup 2011, it will be hosting only two pool games. However, the FMG did have the honour of staging the first ever Super 12 match between the Wellington Hurricanes and Auckland Blues in 1996. It also held the 1987 RWC match between Wales and Tonga and welcomed the British and Irish Lions for their game against Manawatu in 2005. Football has been played at the FMG Stadium as well and since the pitch is surrounded by a dirt track, Robertson Holden International Speedway has made its home there.

In addition to the outdoor FMG Stadium, whose rebuilt grandstand was opened in 2005, the complex boasts three other sports grounds and four indoor stadia. The main indoor venue, which was redeveloped in 2004, has staged netball internationals, basketball matches, motor shows and equestrian events. The complex is located only seven minutes' walk from the centre of Palmerston North, which is the principal city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of North Island. It has a population of around 80,000 and has a temperate climate, with September having an average low of 7C and October an average high of nearly 17C. Palmerston North is the base of the New Zealand Rugby Museum, which houses the country's largest collection of rugby memorabilia, including some of the sport's rarest artefacts. View gallery . ROTORUA: International Stadium (Capacity: 26,000 - Matches: 3) The Rotorua International Stadium already has a Rugby World Cup history, having hosted the third-place play-off between Wales and Australia in the first edition of the tournament in 1987.

The venue was first built in 1911, but has undergone many makeovers since, although it still has only one covered stand, which seats around 4,000. The stadium has been known to hold 40,000 for concerts, with the likes of opera superstar Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and pop group UB40 having sung there. However, 35,000 is the norm for rugby matches, although that figure has been cut to 26,000 for its three games at RWC 2011. The venue is used for rugby union and rugby league matches, with Bay of Plenty the 15-a-side residents. It is one of their two homes, the other being Baypark Stadium in Tauranga. Bay of Plenty have entertained the British and Irish Lions at the RIS, while international rugby league has been played there as well between New Zealand and Australia. The arena, which is located a 10-minute drive from the centre of Rotorua, has also staged softball and football matches, along with the Searchlight Tattoo and the Raggamuffin reggae festival.

Rotorua is an inland city on the North Island with a population of over 68,000 and is situated on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty region. The region, whose main industry is tourism, is a Maori culture centre and the name Rotorua is Maori for 'second lake'. Temperatures vary from an average low of 6C in September to an average high of nearly 17C in October. View gallery . WELLINGTON: Regional Stadium (Capacity: 40,000 - Matches: 8) Also known as the Westpac Stadium and nicknamed 'The Cake Tin' (because of its circular shape and silver colour), this arena was opened in 2000. It was a replacement for the dilapidated Athletic Park and was also constructed as a concert venue and a larger home for one-day international cricket matches in the city, since the Basin Reserve was no longer attracting the latter. Its inaugural year was marked by the staging of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo — the first time it had been held outside Scotland — but the stadium is largely used for sport and concerts.

The Rolling Stones, Police, Kiss, AC/DC, Bon Jovi and Ozzy Ozbourne are among rock stars to have performed in 'The Cake Tin'. Otherwise, it is a regular port of call for the All Blacks and New Zealand's rugby league, football and one-day cricket teams. It is also the home of Super Rugby's Hurricanes franchise, ITM Cup side Wellington Lions, cricket team Wellington Firebirds and football outfit Wellington Phoenix. During the Black Caps' cricket match against England in 2002 Kiwi film director Peter Jackson recorded 30,000 fans chanting in 'Black Speech' — JRR Tolkein's fictional language — for his film 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'. Normally its capacity is 36,000, but it will be boosted to 40,000 for its eight matches at the Rugby World Cup thanks to temporary seating. That is one more game than originally scheduled due to the Christchurch earthquake, with Argentina v Scotland now being held in 'The Cake Tin' as well. It is one of only two RWC stadia hosting knockout ties, Auckland's Eden Park being the other, but Wellington has been granted just two quarter-finals.

The stadium is a short walk from the central railway station of New Zealand's capital city and centre of government. Located on the southern tip of North Island, the city is renowned for its strong and cold winds. View gallery New Zealand Rugby World Cup cities New Zealand Rugby World Cup cities Wai-O-Tapu thermal reserve, Rotorua. iStockphoto / Thinkstock With the RBS 6 Nations currently whetting the appetite of eager fans, some are already planning a trip to the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand this September. Kristina Khoo tackles the tournament's host cities. New Zealand Rugby World Cup: Hamilton Situated on the banks of the Waikato River, pretty Hamilton is a fast-growing, multicultural city in the heart of one of New Zealand ’s greatest rugby-playing regions. The North Island province is home to the Maori royal family, the vast Waitomo cave system and the Hobbiton (Lord of the Rings) film set; providing something for all tastes. Just a 15-minute walk from central Hamilton, Waikato Stadium is a world-class venue and will host a number of group stage matches, including New Zealand against Japan and two Wales games.

New Zealand Rugby World Cup: Auckland Auckland Harbour iStockphoto / Thinkstock Auckland, a bustling, cosmopolitan city, is complimented by a wealth of luscious forests, secluded islands and pristine beaches on its doorstep. With its unique urban outdoor lifestyle, the ‘City of Sails’ mixes the buzz of casinos and clubs with relaxing island getaways and wildlife experiences. Eden Park, where the Rugby World Cup began in 1987 (at which New Zealand were victorious), is currently being redeveloped into a 50,000-seat stadium in preparation for the tournament, where it will host a number of games including the curtain-raiser and the final. The smaller North Harbour Stadium, located 19km (12 miles) from Auckland in Albany, will host current world champions South Africa in two group matches. New Zealand Rugby World Cup: Rotorua Rotorua offers visitors a chance to experience a range of attractions and activities such as geothermal reserves, mineral spas, walking trails and world-class mountain biking.

Located 10 minutes from the heart of the city, Rotorua International Stadium has a capacity of 26,000 and has staged New Zealand opera icon Dame Kiri Te Kanawa as well as the Raggamuffin Music Festival during its 100-year history. The stadium will host Ireland, who take on Russia in their third group game. New Zealand Rugby World Cup: Whangarei Maori carving. Hemera / Thinkstock Surrounded by unspoilt coastline, Whangarei is famed for its first-rate diving and semi-tropical climate, which attracts an abundance of luxury yachts. Situated halfway between Auckland and New Zealand’s northern tip, this region is a melting pot of Maori and European heritage. The ITM Rugby Stadium, once the home of Northland rugby, was replaced by the sparkling new Northland Events Centre last year; which will host two of Tonga’s group matches. New Zealand Rugby World Cup: New Plymouth Situated midway between the major metropolitan centres of Auckland and Wellington, New Plymouth is a modern city set against a stunning backdrop that stretches from the wild Tasman Sea to imposing Mount Taranaki.

Thunderous waves, which pummel the coastline around Surf Highway 45, make the area a prime destination for surfers. Stadium Taranaki, half an hour’s stroll from the city centre, has undergone major redevelopment for the tournament, with its 25,000 spectators able to watch Wales and Ireland in action. New Zealand Rugby World Cup: Wellington Wellington cable car. Hemera / Thinkstock New Zealand’s capital city is nestled between rolling hills and a striking harbour, which provides a gateway to the South Island through the pictureque Malborough Sounds. Wellington houses a plethora of top-quality cultural attractions and nightlife, coupled with fantastic gourmet and wine experiences. Wellington Regional Stadium, home to Wellington Lions and the Hurricanes, is a short walk from the central Wellington Railway Station and will host two quarter finals as well as Wales’ contest with South Africa. New Zealand Rugby World Cup: Napier Widely-regarded as one of New Zealand’s most attractive cities, Napier is located at the south of the Hawkes Bay; about 20 minutes from its neighbour Hastings. Also known as the ‘Art Deco City’, the city has the most comprehensive collection of inner-city art deco buildings in the world.

The McLean Park stadium is a short walk from Napier’s city centre with a capacity of 15,000. The stadium has been given a stunning new stand, complete with a corporate entertainment complex and will host two matches during the tournament. New Zealand Rugby World Cup: Palmerston North Palmerston North showcases Mother Nature at her best, from short walks in splendid native bush to hikes through the spectacular Manawatu Gorge, and tramping in the breathtaking Tararua Ranges. Just a seven minutes stroll from the centre of ‘Palmy’ is Arena Manawatu, which boasts 33 individual indoor and outdoor venues within a 44 acres (18 hectares) site. The complex’s rugby stadium will host two group matches. New Zealand Rugby World Cup: Nelson Abel Tasman National Park, Nelson. iStockphoto / Thinkstock An artists’ paradise, Nelson is an interesting blend of lifestyle and landscape in the northwest corner of the South Island. The city is a haven for culture vultures, with a number of art galleries showcasing New Zealand works as well as local artists’ studios. A short trip from Nelson is the stunning Abel Tasman National Park, where a number of outdoor activities can be explored.

Trafalgar Park stadium, which will host two of Italy’s group matches, is a five-minute walk from Nelson’s city centre and has a capacity of 18,000. New Zealand Rugby World Cup: Dunedin Dunedin, New Zealand’s oldest city, possesses a unique combination of cultural riches, fine architecture, and world-renowned wildlife reserves on the Otago Peninsula. The isthmus is home to the yellow-eyed penguin (one of the world's rarest penguins), and various species of seals, sea lions and pelagic birds. A short distance from Dunedin’s city centre is the 29,000-seater Carisbrook stadium, which once hosted crowds as high as 42,000. Works are currently taking place to improve the stadium in time for kick-off, when it will host matches involving Scotland, England and Ireland. New Zealand Rugby World Cup: Christchurch Christchurch Cathedral. iStockphoto / Thinkstock New Zealand’s second-largest city, Christchurch is situated on the east coast of the South Island, bordered by the turquoise Pacific Ocean to the east and the pancake-flat Canterbury plains to the west.

It is known as the ‘Garden City’ for its expansive parks and tranquil public gardens, but sport is also at the heart of the city’s identity. Four minutes from the city centre is Stadium Christchurch, home to the Canterbury Crusaders rugby team. The stadium’s major upgrade has generated a permanent capacity of 40,000, making it the country’s second largest stadium; a venue fit for two quarter-final matches. New Zealand Rugby World Cup: Invercargill From cultural attractions to busy city life, Invercargill is the gateway to some of the country’s most beautiful destinations, with vast nature reserves, excellent shopping and lively restaurants and bars. The recently redeveloped Rugby Park, a 20-minute walk south from central Invercargill, has a capacity of 17,000 and will host Scotland’s opener against Romania. Rugby World Cup 2015 - Grand Royale London Blog Rugby World Cup 2015 Posted on August 17, 2015 by David Between September 18th and October 31st 2015, the eighth Rugby World Cup will take place in England and Wales.

After a four-year wait, the top 20 rugby union-playing nations will compete for the Webb Ellis Cup and the accolade of being crowned the champions of the world. Rugby fans from across the globe are set to descend on the UK this autumn, to follow their nation’s progress and enjoy the fantastic atmosphere that comes with a World Cup tournament. Many of them will choose to stay in London, the capital city, which boasts three of the 13 host stadium. Competing nations The Rugby World Cup brings together all of the top union-playing nations in the world, along with emerging second-tier sides and relative minnows of the game. The qualification process for this year’s tournament began in the pool stage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, when the top three sides in each group secured their place. England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales, Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, South Africa and Argentina were all automatic entrants to this year’s tournament. They are joined by Namibia, Canada, the United States, Uruguay, Georgia, Romania and Fiji, who successfully negotiated the qualification process.

New Zealand are the holders of the Webb Ellis Cup, having defeated France 8-7 in a tight encounter at Eden Park, Auckland on October 23rd 2011. This was the lowest-scoring Rugby World Cup final in the history of the tournament. Tournament Stadium Rugby World Cup matches will take place at 13 venues across England and Wales. Some 17 matches will take place at the three London venues – including Twickenham, the home of English rugby union – with a further 31 being staged in the regions across the country. London venues: NZ marks 7 days to Rugby World Cup kick off NZ marks 7 days to Rugby World Cup kick off STEVE McMORRAN - AP Sports Writer Share View photos A group performs the Haka, a traditional Maori dance, before welcoming ceremony for Argentine rugby team at Dunedin's airport, New Zealand, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011 ahead of the upcoming Rugby World Cup. Argentina will play their opening Pool B match against England in Dunedin on Sept. 10.

(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) More WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand forecasters say the weather outlook for the seven weeks of the Rugby World Cup is "unsettled." Exactly a week from the opening match it could also be said the outlook for the tournament itself is not entirely settled, either. As the 20 competing teams continue to arrive, fanning out to bases around New Zealand, questions remain over how this nation of four million will cope with staging an event billed as the fourth most-watched in world sport. When New Zealand staged and won the first Rugby World Cup in 1987, rugby was an amateur sport and the tournament was similarly low-key. Now, 24 years later, the task of hosting the sixth World Cup involved years of planning and the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in venues and infrastructure. New Zealand expects to receive as many as 95,000 international visitors during the World Cup and is counting on the event to help its fragile economy recover from the effects of a global recession and devastating earthquakes that killed 181 people in the southern city of Christchurch.

New Zealand desperately needs the World Cup to succeed and organizers are confident the tournament will be the showpiece rugby now expects, but a week from the start, there are still muted concerns. Of the targeted ticket sales, 170,000 seats remain unsold. Organizers remain confident the pace of sales will increase in the week before the opening match and say the experience of other major sports events is that demand becomes greatest when the games begin. But IRB chief executive Mike Miller chided New Zealanders for being slow to support the World Cup. "My main concern is that you're not going to get Rugby World Cup back here for a long time," Miller said. "There are lots of countries around the world that want to host the Rugby World Cup, so people should take advantage of it while it's here." New Zealanders have expressed concern that, for several reasons, they have been unable to participate in the World Cup as fully as they would have liked.

Ticket prices start at around NZ$31 ($25) for pool matches but rise to NZ$491 ($402) for prime seats at quarterfinals, NZ$797 ($650) for semifinals and NZ$1278 ($1050) for the final at the 60,000-seat Eden Park. The average wage in New Zealand is about NZ$50,000, pricing prime tickets beyond the reach of most Kiwis. High hotel prices have also discouraged many from traveling to games. Organizers have counted on New Zealand's nearest neighbor, Australia, to provide the largest share of visitors but travel agents say, despite extensive marketing campaigns, Australians are wary. The general manager of Australia's Total Sports Travel, Michael Jones, said high hotel prices had deterred many Australians. "People do question that they feel it's overpriced because most Australians have been to New Zealand at some time or another and at normal times they can go for a lot cheaper," Jones told the New Zealand Herald. "The hotels haven't been exactly kind in some of their rates. There's been a lot of greed.

Not in all cases, but there have been some examples of price-gouging so to speak." A New Zealand Herald survey in June showed Auckland hotels would be charging, on average, three times their usual rates for a room during finals weekend, though some rooms were being let at up to 15 times normal rates. Tourism New Zealand has warned the country's international reputation may be damaged if prices are too high but hotel operators say they are following standard practices for major events. "Hotels should be optimizing their revenue, that's what they're in business to do," Bruce Robertson of New Zealand's Hospitality Association said. Businesses large and small also believe the IRB's strict rules around ambush marketing may limit their ability to take advantage of opportunities provided by the tournament. New Zealand lawmakers have passed the Major Event Management Act, which provides for fines and other penalties to protect the rights of the tournament organizers and sponsors. New Zealand's Ministry of Economic Development has formed enforcement teams which will ensure provisions of the act are strictly enforced. Work on the stadiums which will host the 48 World Cup matches is complete. Only one new stadium has been built, in the South Island city of Dunedin, but all others have been improved and have had their seating capacity enlarged.

Auckland's Eden Park, which will host the semifinals and final, has been substantially rebuilt and now has a capacity of 60,000. All tickets to the final have already been sold. New Zealand has invested in airports and road projects to ease the movement of fans around the country. Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office warned British fans this week to be wary driving in New Zealand, citing hazards such as livestock on roads. Organizers say security arrangements with the tournament will be typical of a major international sporting event but would aim to be efficient and unobtrusive. Reblog

Question: Eden Park staged some of the 2011 Rugby World Cup matches, in which city can it be found?
Answer: AUCKLAND